1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a device for lifting logs and similar articles, and particularly to a lifting device of the class generally referred to as cant dogs or peaveys, and cant hooks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various tools have been proposed under the general designation of log jacks for lifting a log, and the like, off of the ground or other supporting surface in order to facilitate sawing or chopping of the log. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,539,231, issued Jan. 23, 1951, to N. J. Davis, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,718,375, issued Sept. 20, 1955, to O. G. Purdy, disclose such devices based on the conventional logging tools known as cant hooks, while U.S. Pat. No. 2,733,895, issued Feb. 7, 1956, to J. I. Trenkle, discloses a timber or logging jack similar to the well known cant dog or peavey. These known devices, however, as well as the log lifter and holder disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,829,490, issued Oct. 27, 1931, to W. B. Parrish, use a portion of the handle of the device to support the load which has been lifted. This load on the handle severely limits the amount of load which can be handled by the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,693,935, issued Nov. 9, 1954, to E. J. Halbert, discloses a log jack wherein a work engaging portion is slipped substantially under the log or other load to be lifted prior to swinging the device around a fulcrum so as to lift the log off of the supporting surface. However, this known device must be employed on fairly level ground in order to obtain the necessary insertion of the work engaging portion under the log and to prevent the handle of the device from supporting a substantial portion of the weight of an article lifted by the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 244,870, issued July 26, 1881, to C. H. Fasig, discloses a log turner which employs a hook arranged for engaging a log or similar article in the lower portion thereof in order to impart a rotational movement to the log that will turn the log over as desired.